


Relic

by Holde_Maid



Category: Highlander (Movies), Highlander - All Media Types, Highlander: The Series, Lord Peter Wimsey - Dorothy L. Sayers
Genre: Crossover Pairings, Gen, Past, Past Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-05-02
Updated: 2006-05-02
Packaged: 2018-07-14 00:35:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7144940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Holde_Maid/pseuds/Holde_Maid
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Methos meets an ancestress of Lord Peter - his grandmother, I believe. This story may, or may not, yet beget offspring.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Relic

**Author's Note:**

> Neither the Highlander franchise nor any of Sayers' books, nor yet the films that have been made based on them, are in any way mine. Just this plot bunny is mine, that's all. And of course I do not make any money off this, intend no harm or copyright infringement, and despite what it sounds like by now, I'm not all negation. *lol*
> 
> Original Post here: http://holde-maid.livejournal.com/10281.html  
> It was triggered by a challenge at http://hl-challenge-co.livejournal.com/

He touched it, and instantly regretted doing so. The stone was rough and a little slimy with wet moss on the top. He cleaned his long slim fingers with his cotton handkerchief. This was only recent defilement. Once, when the little round head had graced a Mayan temple, rather than the garden wall of a 19th century English aristocrat, it had been smooth and clean. But for all that, it still fulfilled the same purpose - it was amusing. Of course the English were amused for very different reasons than the original makers. Even so, they too were amused.

"You! You there, fellow!" the Duchess of Denver called out, wary of the intruder. "What are you doing there?"

He resisted the urge to run, reminding himself that he had business here, and calmly waited for her to approach. When she was well within earshot, he replied, "No offence, your Grace. I thought you would want this cleaned." Lady Mary seemed slightly appeased, both by his manners and his looks. Maybe his working class clothes had done the trick.

She had come close enough to be audible despite her now lowered tone. "So you have not come for me?"

"No, not for your head. Just for the job Lord George offered me." Lady Mary's husband had been impressed with his jumping in when a fox had gotten his favourite dog by the throat. Well, since the game-keeper had died of old age recently, it had seemed worth the hassle to try and impress him. It had worked beautifully.

"Oh, poor dear, he always chooses the wrong man for the right job..." A maid approaching, her voice rose again. "What a fright you gave me! What ever can he want you for?"

"His Grace said he needed a game-keeper?"

The emotions that played on her features were hard to read. There was excitement and a dash of fear and ... perhaps shame? Or was she unhappy to know he would probably live close-by from now on? Finally, the maid was only a few yards away, and the Duchess called out to her, "Anne, go tell my husband that his new game-keeper is here. And get Simmonds to clean that ugly thing on the garden wall."

Well, perhaps not all the English were amused by it. Either that, or it held an additional meaning known only to her. His curiosity, at any rate, was piqued.

\------------

Piqued or not, a month later his curiousity had still not been satisfied. He had seen very little of both the Duchess and the Duke. He had, however, often felt unseen eyes follow him. He had noted an Immortal presence every so often, even though his little cottage was too far away for him to sense the Duchess if she was inside the Manor. Meanwhile he had taken to strolling along the borders of the estate, ostensibly to take stock of the wild-life. And finally, one night, he met the Duchess again.  
He had fought down his unwillingness - this was not one of his favourite duties - and had entered the kennel to look in on the dogs. They were useful allies, never mind their tendency towards unwelcome affections. It was rather boringly easy to tame them, but ... oh well, he didn't have to like it. The job paid reasonably well, and it kept him safe enough for now. Luckily, the dogs had been well and had not demanded any further attention. So he had gone over to the stables.  
Long before opening the door, he had sensed the Duchess. Again he had stopped himself from running. You could never tell unambiguously, but he thought he recognised this Immortal signature as hers. He entered. The room was dark, and draughty. And the sense of imminent danger, almost physical in its urgency, was receding. Whoever had been here had climbed out through the only window that afforded a chance to do so. If one were rather slim.

\------------

He finally found Lady Mary by the garden wall, close to the spot where he had first met her. The moon-light rendered her prettier than the sun did, he noted. Or perhaps it was the fear she exuded? "Why did you run?" he inquired, not even bothering to address her by her proper title, heedless of his current standing. For now the just were two Immortals, social ranks did not apply.

"I panicked."

Disarming as her statement was, he found himself disbelieving. She was afraid, yes, but not panicky. "You had reason to panic on the first day. But not so now."

"They say reason is the domain of man, not woman."

He sneered, "They also said the world was flat, and we know it isn't."

"But it is true. We ARE too emotional." There was a pause. "I am," she finally added.

"Are you, indeed?" His voice sounded softer to his own ears than he had intended.

"Yes," her quivering voice answered. "I am. I ... I hate this thing" - she gestured at the garden wall, so quickly he could barely see the motion in the moonlight - "and I love..." She stopped and just looked at him.

At last he understood. No, the Duchess was not amused. She was intrigued.


End file.
